Inside Zubeen Garg’s Journey: Struggles, Breakthroughs, and Milestones

Zubeen Garg (1972–2025) was the voice millions in Northeast India grew up with—and the singer who became a national name with “Ya Ali” (2006). Born Zubeen Borthakur, he worked across Assamese, Bengali, and Hindi music, acted and directed films, and championed social causes.

He won a National Film Award in 2009 for music direction in a non-feature film and later turned director with Mission China (2017) and Kanchanjangha (2019), both regional box-office landmarks. In September 2025, he died in Singapore following a scuba-diving accident; Assam declared state honors for his final rites.

Zubeen Garg At a glance

Who was Zubeen Garg?

Zubeen Garg was more than a playback singer. He was a composer, multi-instrumentalist, actor, director, and a tireless live performer. His voice crossed language lines and his stage presence anchored modern Assamese pop culture. He recorded in dozens of Indian languages and dialects and kept a close link with folk and mobile theatre traditions in Assam.

Early life and Musical Roots

Zubeen was born on 18 November 1972. Sources note he was born in Tura, Meghalaya, and raised mainly in Jorhat, Assam—two places that shaped his identity and sound. His father, Mohini Mohon Borthakur, served as an ACS officer and wrote poetry and lyrics under the pen name Kapil Thakur; his mother, Ily Borthakur, was a singer and performer. He adopted “Garg,” linked to his Brahmin gotra, as a professional surname. He was named after the conductor Zubin Mehta.

His childhood moved with his father’s postings across Assam. That exposure gave him ears for regional dialects and folk rhythms. He learned several instruments and sang on small stages before his teen years. Over time he developed a style that blended Assamese folk cadence with the hooks of Indian pop. This chapter is the first leg of Zubeen Garg journey, where roots and training set up a long career.

Early life—at a glance

The First Break: Local Stardom to Wider Recognition

In the 1990s, Zubeen released independent Assamese albums that turned him into a household name in the Northeast. His regional stardom led to playback chances beyond Assam. He carried folk ornamentation into contemporary arrangements and kept live shows central to his career.

Career start—key points

Breakthroughs That Defined a Generation

“Ya Ali” and the national moment

The pivot from regional icon to national voice came with “Ya Ali” from Gangster (2006). The song’s sufi-pop pull and his textured high notes cut across markets and made “Zubeen” a familiar name in Bollywood music coverage. He earned nationwide nominations and awards for the track in 2006–07.

Multidisciplinary work: singer, composer, actor, director

Zubeen wore many hats. He composed for films and non-feature projects and won the National Film Award in 2009 for music direction in Echoes of Silence—a major recognition that validated his composer credentials at the national level.

Milestones, Awards and Major Collaborations

Zubeen’s career spanned recording, touring, cinema, and activism. He collaborated with industry stalwarts and mentored younger musicians in Assam. He received widespread honors, including an honorary D.Litt. (USTM, 2024) for contributions to art and culture.

He also received or was nominated for awards linked to Ya Ali, state film awards, and Prag Cine Awards in the Assamese film ecosystem. The National Film Award stands out as a cross-industry milestone.

Sources span national databases, press images, and university announcements.

Challenges and Comebacks

Like many prolific performers, Zubeen balanced intense touring, film work, and social commitments. He faced health scares at different times and had to slow down occasionally, yet returned to recording and stage work with new projects and collaborations. In interviews and public appearances, peers have recalled his grit and warmth; they also noted periodic health issues in later years.

Influence on Assamese and Indian Music

Zubeen’s biggest cultural role was building a bridge. He made Assamese lyrics feel current for a young audience while insisting on folk roots. He also normalized the idea that an Assamese artist could be a pan-Indian voice without losing identity. His multilingual recordings and regional cinema experiments created a path for many younger artists.

Philanthropy, Causes and Public Life

Zubeen used his platform for social work. He joined donation drives for Assam flood relief, mobilized fans for aid, and supported charitable efforts such as the Kalaguru Artiste Foundation. Beyond relief efforts, he was a prominent cultural voice in political debates, especially the anti-CAA protests in Assam, urging non-violent, citizen-led action.

Discography and Filmography Highlights (curated)

(For a deeper catalog, consult discography databases and official label playlists.) 

Selected film work (as director/lead)

Box-office claims are based on regional reporting and trade coverage.

Two landmark films: Mission China (2017) & Kanchanjangha (2019)

Mission China (2017)

Zubeen’s first major directorial venture arrived with buzz. It released across 65+ halls, with reports noting record first-day regional collections and week-one momentum seldom seen for Assamese cinema at the time. The soundtrack fused Assamese pop with a pan-Northeast visual aesthetic.

Quick view: Mission China

Kanchanjangha (2019)

His second directorial turned into a local juggernaut. Media in the Northeast reported ₹3.9 crore in 10 days and called it the highest-grossing Assamese film of its time, surpassing Mission China. The film’s themes were rooted in youth aspirations and local scandals, framed with mainstream pacing and music.

Quick view: Kanchanjangha

Timeline: struggles, breakthroughs, and milestones

Below is a clean, skim-friendly timeline you can reuse as a sidebar or a featured table.

Struggle Life: Setbacks, Pressure, and Quiet Grit

Zubeen Garg’s journey was not only about applause and awards. It also had tough phases—personal loss, health scares, public controversies, and the day-to-day grind of staying relevant across languages and industries.

Early hurdles: building a career from the Northeast

Starting out from Assam in the early 1990s, Zubeen had to win audiences far from the main Hindi and Bengali music hubs. Breaking into playback from a regional base meant long travel, small shows, and constant self-promotion. His early Assamese albums—beginning with Anamika (1992)—earned him a loyal fan base and slowly opened doors outside the region.

Personal loss: the sister he never forgot

In February 2002, Zubeen’s younger sister, Jonkie Borthakur—an actor and singer—died in a road accident. He memorialized her with the album Xixhu released that year. The loss left a long shadow over his personal life and work.

Health setbacks: scare, recovery, and the push to perform

From 2020 onward, Zubeen faced repeated health issues. He was hospitalized after a sudden illness during an event in 2020; admitted again for high blood pressure in 2021; and faced another scare in 2022 in Dibrugarh, Assam.

In November 2023, he collapsed during a recording session in Guwahati and spent several days in ICU before discharge. Close collaborators also spoke about episodes like blackouts in recent years. Even after these scares, he kept returning to the studio and stage.

FAQs on Zubeen Garg

1. What is Zubeen Garg best known for?

He is best known nationally for singing “Ya Ali” in Gangster (2006), and regionally for shaping contemporary Assamese pop while staying rooted in folk and theatre culture.

2. Which major awards did he receive?

A key honour is the National Film Award (Best Music Direction, Non-Feature, 2009) for Echoes of Silence. He also received many regional film and music awards and an honorary D.Litt. from USTM in 2024.

3. What films did he direct?

Mission China (2017) and Kanchanjangha (2019). Both posted strong box-office numbers in Assam; Kanchanjangha was cited as the highest-grossing Assamese film at the time.

4. What social causes did he support?

He took part in flood-relief drives and used his voice in civic debates, notably against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), urging peaceful protest.

5. How did he pass away?

He died in Singapore on 19 September 2025 after a scuba-diving incident, according to festival organisers and major news outlets. Assam announced state honors for his last rites. 

Legacy and What Endures

Zubeen Garg’s legacy is not in one hit song or a single film. It is the proof that a regional artist can be local and national at once. He kept Assamese idioms alive in pop formats, took risks as a filmmaker, and turned concerts into community events. His discography remains a map of the Northeast’s modern soundscape; his films showed the ceiling for regional box office could rise with conviction and craft.

Recent Events: Farewell With State Honours

Zubeen’s death on September 19, 2025, in Singapore led to a profound public response. News reports documented crowds lining the streets in Assam, tributes from leaders and artists nationwide, and an official announcement that he would be cremated with full state honours near Guwahati. The North East India Festival event he was slated to attend was cancelled after the tragedy.

Farewell—key facts

Final Words

Zubeen Garg journey shows how talent, roots, and resilience can travel from local stages to the national spotlight. He balanced folk and film, music and movies, art and activism.

He turned setbacks into comebacks and built space for regional cinema at the box office. His songs and films continue to inspire new artists across the Northeast and India, ensuring that the spirit of his work lives on.